All Night Long is ‘Strictly’ the hottest ticket in town

Debbie Clarke

One of Strictly’s most charismatic stars will be waltzing his way north of the border when he brings his new show to Scotland this year.

Brendan Cole, one of the best-known performers on the BBC’s annual dance competition, is embarking on his ninth tour starting this month. His new show Brendan Cole: All Night Long is coming to the Alhambra in Dunfermline on January 28; the Theatre Royal in Glasgow on January 29; His Majesty’s Theatre in Aberdeen on February 21 and Festival Hall in Edinburgh on March 26.

The New Zealand-born star will take to the stage alongside eight hand-picked championship dancers and a 14-piece band, and he’s looking forward to seeing his Scottish fans.

He said: “I love Scotland. The audiences are having a good time before you even get there! What I love about them is that you don’t have to try hard to win them over, they want to be part of the show – they want to have a good time. This will be my fourth production over the last six or seven years and while the format will be similar to what I have done before with live music and chat, I will be trying to step up the quality. Primarily though it’s a dance, variety and entertainment show with a 14-piece band which will be amazing. The live vibe will be sensational. I want to give people a Strictly experience. People watching the show on a Saturday night see it but they don’t experience it. Experiencing it live is something very special. I am very excited about my cast of dancers – it is a melting pot of talent on stage.”

The audience will get to see every style of ballroom and Latin dance but Brendan does have a favourite to perform: “My favourite is the waltz. When you get an emotional song you can tell a really magical story and I love seeing the audience reaction. It is a powerful experience.” I just want audiences to come along and enjoy it.”